Making a Boot CD?

[Gordon]

I have a PC with a recovery CD. However, on the HDD is a folder called I386 which contains 136 folders, 6,512 files and is 478 MB in size. Most of the files seem to end in a "_". is this basically a copy of the Windows XP used to install on my PC? If so, can I burn it to a CD to make a Windows CD? (And slipstream SP2 while I'm about it?)

 

[Harry Ohrn]

It sounds like the i386 directory you are referring to contains the
installation files. Yes you can create a bootable CD and place the i386
directory on it but you won't be able to create a true facsimile of a
Windows XP disc as the boot files and the initial installation files are not
in the i386 directory.

Having said this it would still be prudent for you to create a backup of the
i386 directory. In the event that you needed to run a clean install you
could use the 6 floppy bootdisk set for your version of XP to start from.
Then pop the CD into the drive and run the "WINNT32.EXE" setup file to
perform the installation.

6 floppy boot disk set needs to be specific to your version of XP
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33290 Home
Edition
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/release.asp?releaseid=33291 Pro
Edition

This might be useful http://www.theeldergeek.com/slipstream_01.htm
--

Harry Ohrn MS-MVP [Shell/User]
www.webtree.ca/windowsxp


I have a PC with a recovery CD. However, on the HDD is a folder called I386
which contains 136 folders, 6,512 files and is 478 MB in size. Most of the
files seem to end in a "_". is this basically a copy of the Windows XP used
to install on my PC? If so, can I burn it to a CD to make a Windows CD? (And
slipstream SP2 while I'm about it?)

 

[André Gulliksen]

I have a PC with a recovery CD. However, on the HDD is a folder called
I386 which > contains 136 folders, 6,512 files and is 478 MB in size. Most
of the files seem to end > in a "_". is this basically a copy of the
Windows XP used to install on my PC? If so,
can I burn it to a CD to make a Windows CD?

You cannot make a bootable CD. But the i386 folder is basically what you'd
need to install XP. Boot with a DOS floppy, make a FAT partition, copy over
the i386 folder from the CD and run \i386\winnt.exe.

(And slipstream SP2 while I'm about it?)

Not likely.

 

[Gordon]

Thanks for the replies!

--
Interim Systems and Management Accounting
Gordon Burgess-Parker
Director
www.gbpcomputing.co.uk
I have a PC with a recovery CD. However, on the HDD is a folder called I386 which contains 136 folders, 6,512 files and is 478 MB in size. Most of the files seem to end in a "_". is this basically a copy of the Windows XP used to install on my PC? If so, can I burn it to a CD to make a Windows CD? (And slipstream SP2 while I'm about it?)

 

[NobodyMan]

You cannot make a bootable CD. But the i386 folder is basically what you'd
need to install XP. Boot with a DOS floppy, make a FAT partition, copy over
the i386 folder from the CD and run \i386\winnt.exe.

Huh? You CAN make a bootable CD that contains all the files from the
i386 folder. It just won't work as an installation CD.

 

[André Gulliksen]

Huh? You CAN make a bootable CD that contains all the files from the
i386 folder. It just won't work as an installation CD.

Yes, you can use any boot floppy image to make a CD that boots into for
instance MS-DOS and contains \i386. But I assumed that's not what OP meant
by "Windows CD".